The present invention relates to a playstation, and particularly, to a playstation that is configured to be stronger, less expensive to manufacture, and easier to assemble.
Playstations are typically used as a framework onto which various children's play accessories (e.g., swings, slides, climbing towers, etc.) are secured. The children's accessories are attached to the playstations in any number of configurations.
Playstations are commonly sold to consumers as a conglomeration of unassembled parts in order to facilitate shipping and handling of the playstation. As a result, the playstation is assembled by the ultimate user at the desired location. The number, size, and complexity of the parts makes assembling conventional playstations extremely cumbersome.
Typical playstations include one or more horizontal cross-beams that are supported by one or more support structures. The cross-beams are usually either metal (e.g., tubular metal) or wood (e.g., a single 4.times.4 beam or 2 parallel 2.times.6 timbers). The support structures include one or more brackets fastened to supports, or legs (commonly in an A-frame configuration).
One of the problems associated with conventional brackets is that they have elaborate configurations making them costly to manufacture. Another problem with conventional brackets is that the elaborate configurations add to the difficulty associated with assembling the playstations. The brackets are typically difficult to align due to the lack of any structural formations on the brackets that can be used to align the brackets relative to the other components that make up the playstation. Several conventional brackets are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,190,283 and 5,364,312.